It’s fascinating how time flies when you feel well entertained. Was it really some 43 minutes or just the blink of an eye? Hard to tell with this season of Shadowhunters! Three episodes in and we have yet to be disappointed. And with what has been teased of 3b, we seriously doubt we ever will be.

This week’s “Beati Bellicosi” (translation: “Blessed are the warriors”) took the show’s focus to the Downworld and we loved every minute of it – even though Heidi sure was annoying as hell. Being her usual charming psychopath self, she not only killed a member of the Praetor Lupus, but also schemed to start a fight between the vamps and the wolves. Bad Heidi! Hopefully, less screen time for you next time!

Random thoughts on the episode’s title

Let’s just take a moment to contemplate why this episode is called “Blessed are the warriors.” Per definition, a warrior is someone who has experience and skill in fighting. And that’s something that most of our characters have. In a sense, everyone is fighting (for) something and refusing to give up – just like a warrior. Most noticeably,

Izzy is fighting her addiction

Clary and Jace are fighting for a chance of happiness and to find a way to get rid of Jonathan

Maia is fighting for her pack, even at great personal costs

The Lightwoods are fighting to uncover the Clave’s latest conspiracy

Magnus is fighting with the latest technology not to despair without his magic

Luke and Maryse are fighting their attraction for a way to find out more about that Morgenstern sword.

the vampires and werewolves are fighting (quite literally) to… well, there’s no purpose. They are only being dumb.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

Here are this week’s top moments:

#1 Clace spending time together (and getting down)!

After all the heartbreak, we finally saw Clace having some time together. Unfortunately, much of it was spent contemplating how to get rid of the pesty binding rune that gives Clary’s demon brother Jonathan way too much power over her. Feeling his pain when he gets hurt or hurts himself? So not cool!

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

We wish Clary and Jace could just have some untainted time for themselves without having to constantly carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Clearly, that’s not gonna happen for awhile. On the bright side, we got what we had been craving for such a long time now: They got down and it was such a tender, bittersweet scene! We can’t get these pictures out of our heads – not that we want to! Is it hot in here or is it just Clace?

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

#2 Alec and Izzy: All the Lightwood family feels

Can there be a greater sibling love than that between Izzy and Alec? The show did a beautiful job of depicting the love and trust between the two Lightwoods. These two? They will always have each other’s backs. Alec telling Izzy that she can always rely on her family, that her fight is also theirs and gently reminding her not to push away the people that care about her – we watched it all with heart eyes!

And the beginning of this little heart-to-heart is noteworthy, too:

Alec: Look, why didn’t you tell me?

Izzy: Because I didn’t want you to look at me the way you’re looking at me now.

Alec: Like what?

Izzy: Like I’m weak.

Alec: I wish I was half as strong as you on your weakest day.

#3 Clary and Simon reunite

When your best friend returns from the dead, it’s bound to be an intense moment. That Clary and Simon hug, Clary’s deep-felt “I honestly don’t know what I would do without you” and Simon’s quip “That’s what friends are for, Fray!”? It was EVERYTHING.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

#4 Izzy telling Magnus about her relapse

Such a meaningful moment, for it underlined how close these two characters have become. It takes trust to make yourself vulnerable like that, and Izzy clearly felt comfortable enough with Magnus to confide in him.

#5 Luke and Maryse: Their first kiss

The sparks, the chemistry, the kiss! One word: Maruke (or Laryse, as the show’s writers lately confirmed)! We need MORE.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

# 6 The vampire – werewolves fight

Anyone else feeling like: “Seriously guys? Don’t you have brains and realize that this is literally the worst idea ever?” But yeah… that happened and it was such an intense scene!

#7 Maia seizing power

Maia as alpha of the pack? Hell yes – even if her decision to seize responsibility comes at a cost: The break-up with Simon. She lets him down gently, explaining that the pack has to come first now. It goes without saying these two will remain friends. And even though we see the potential of Sizzy, we can’t help but feel regret, too, because Maia and Simon made such a great couple.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

Best quote: Jace

“I love you Clary. And I’ll love you until I die. And if there’s a life after this, I’ll love you then, too.”

We admired…

how the show handled Izzy’s ongoing struggle with her addiction to Yin Fen. Even though she had recently recovered, that little act of selflessness in last week’s episode made her relapse… We are sure that she will recover once again, especially with the ongoing support from her friends and family – but still: It will always be hard to resist the drug’s appeal. Izzy’s struggle was shown in a very realistic light without glossing over the ugly parts of addiction.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

We loved…

how family and the importance of family was the main theme running through this episode. The writers once again did an excellent job pointing out that family isn’t necessarily a group of people related by blood, but people you have chosen and that you love.

We regret…

not having been able to witness the first moments between Clary and Luke and Clary and Magnus.

We wonder…

will Magnus ever return from fetching pen and paper? And if he does… maybe he will even get his magic back?

will Alec and Izzy honor Maryse’s wish to stop investigating the Clave’s latest “torture and kill” conspiracy? Yeah, right… good luck with that!

what Jonathan will be up to next? Despite not even physically being present in this episode, he was definitely there all the time, looming over everyone like a malevolent shadow.

SHADOWHUNTERS – “Beati Bellicosi” – Freeform. (Freeform/John Medland)

What are your thoughts on Shadowhunters 3×13? Hit us up on Twitter and let us know!

Fictional worlds and words have always been my best friends. A college teacher and professional writer in real life, I use writing fandom stuff as my personal form of escapism.
Love all things Sherlock (BBC), Shadowhunters, Star Trek and Harry Potter. Enjoy Lucifer, A Discovery of Witches, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, CAOS, True Blood and The Originals. Avid reader, traveler, introvert, fangirl.
Hate Mondays and drama, love coffee and laughter.